Forbidden Home
by Spyder Webb
Summary: Slave fic. Home is where the heart is, but what if you're no longer allowed to go home? What if there's no 'home' to go back to?
1. Prologue

This is my first shot at LOTR and will probably be my last considering my usual mailing list didn't even respond to it. (Is it really that bad you guys?)  
  
Anyway, flash idea I'll probably never continue but I needed to write it down nonetheless.  
  
Not within the timeline of the books/movies obviously and if someone has a problem with anything written down, it is your problem and I don't care.  
  
- - -  
  
Forbidden Home  
  
- - -  
  
"So what be thy name elf-slave?" The decrepit old woman asked as one of her long wrinkly skeletal like fingers let a lock of his long golden hair slip over it.  
  
"Legolas." He replied softly, understanding the position he was now in.  
  
"Gots a last name?" One of the other slaves in the dank room almost snarled.  
  
Not being one ashamed of whom he was, the elf simply replied, "Greenleaf."  
  
This was followed by a heavy silence, almost to the point of suffocation. Apparently, they'd heard of him. It wasn't surprising though, seeing as who their master was. And just when the silence was beginning to unnerve him, it was shattered by loud horse like laughter.  
  
"Legolas Greenleaf?" The old woman laughed, her rotten teeth in perfect view. "As in the prince of Mirkwood?" As though she had just told the funniest joke in all Middle-Earth the rest of the nine or so slaves' laughter grew louder.  
  
"The one and the same." He replied, his voice emotionless and cold. He had never been one to push his status on any other; he simply saw no point. But to be laughed at in such a way over his name.  
  
Another slave, greasy from a hard day's work in the field their master owned, snickered as he bowed contemptuously before the prince, "Why your royal elf-ship, I apologize greatly for our disrespect. We 'adn't a bloody clue we was among royalty." With that said the crowd laughed harder.  
  
The elf was not amused. "You mock me." He stated.  
  
The same greasy man only waved his hands in self defense, "Oh no your elf- ship, we believes you! Really we does." He grinned, showing his crooked teeth, "Now would 'is royal prince like the royal treatment? Galia! Bring in the wine an' bread!" He clapped his hands, as if summoning someone, which sent the rest of the slaves in hysterics.  
  
Annoyed, insulted, angry and helpless, the blonde male moved away from the other beings within the small dwelling. The dwelling, little more than a small hut, was separated in to two rooms by a simple thin wall. Whether or not the two rooms were supposed to be for men and one for the women was unknown to the elf, but to be quite honest, he didn't care. The only thing he cared about was getting away.  
  
This room was dark, whereas a fire had been built in the center of the room next to it. And though he could still hear the laughter, the thin wall seemed to block some of it out. He sat down in a corner of the darkened room - not to sulk or pout, but to think alone. He would have liked to stop thinking, but his mind didn't work that way. It was like it wanted to torment him with the truth of how he'd gotten in his position.  
  
It hurt thinking about home. . .  
  
A creek to his left drew the elf away from his inner turmoil and his eyes scanned the room. Now that they'd had a chance to grow used to the little light there, he realized he hadn't been alone. One of the beds was occupied and a small, thin body was sitting up. And he didn't even need to see to tell that eyes were on him.  
  
"I believe you." A soft voice whispered and it was almost so quiet that he had to strain to hear it. The firelight glinted off of white hair as the child continued; "My mama and me saw you when you passed through our village once." The boy explained.  
  
Legolas was silent. He drew comfort from that silence, but he also didn't know what to say.  
  
"Don't be sad." The child took his silence as grief, and he supposed apart of it was from sorrow. "You'll get out of here and get to go home again."  
  
Home. . .  
  
A place he'd never see again.  
  
- - -  
  
Sorry if anything was hard to understand. 


	2. Chapter One

I forgot to mention that this is after the movies/books, how long after hasn't really been decided yet.  
  
I don't normally like using different languages within a story, but I used one Elvish word. I apologize in advance and the translation is at the bottom.  
  
- - -  
  
Forbidden Home  
  
- - -  
  
Chapter One  
  
"Up the lot of you!" A loud voice boomed from outside the slave quarter's door.  
  
Having acute hearing, the elven prince had already been well aware of the guard's appearance before the call. Seconds later, the door was unlocked, having been locked from the outside the night before, and three guards entered the dwelling.  
  
"Alright you lazy slaves! Up and get to work!" The tallest guard ordered, the three of them moving aside as all the slaves got up. There was no need to get dressed seeing as how they only owned one pair of clothes.  
  
Legolas studied each slave, having never seen them before in the light. Though the dwelling had no windows, enough light seeped in through the open doorway and he was able to spot the one who'd spoken to him the night before. A human boy, practically a child had quickly risen from his spot on the ground, quietly following the rest of the faction out the door.  
  
Legolas hardly had time to ponder upon the thought of the human sleeping on the ground when there was obviously an empty bed for him. Instead his thoughts were interrupted by the guards and they looked at him and sneered, cackling with ill humour. He tensed, his senses alert. Even though he knew it was useless it was a skill a warrior could never forget, even faced with becoming a slave for life.  
  
"Come here little Elf-boy. Before you are put to work, you need to see the king. And for that we need to shackle you." The leader grinned cruelly as he held up large crudely made shackles. "Can't have our majesty's newest addition try to escape, now can we?"  
  
His senses were telling him to run, while his heart was telling him to weep in shame. But his mind was telling him to stand his ground for he still had pride, but also from the fear of punishment. He'd seen first hand how cruel a ruler the king was, and Legolas knew the king would have no problem dishing out harsh 'discipline' to an unruly slave. So he stood, as stiff as a tree, as two shackles were clamped around his ankles. He had almost forgotten about the injuries he had sustained while being captured, but the throbbing in his left heel reminded him.  
  
Two more shackles clanked together around his wrists, and then one around his neck. Finally, the last shackle was locked around his midsection and all of the metal bands were then connected by a large heavy chain through loops made in the bands. He thought it was a little extreme, seeing as how the elf had no other place to go. And Legolas wasn't stupid. He'd caught sight the number of guards the king possessed, or had he missed the high built cage that surrounded the king's home.  
  
But he said not a word as he was lead roughly out of the small dwelling and into the light.  
  
***  
  
The Kingdom of Aaren had once been a peaceful place where those of any stature or lineage were welcome. The kind king of Aaren had ruled with the thought of making his people happy and for that the king had been loved by all.  
  
Of course, nothing good can last forever.  
  
The kind king of Aaren, who had worked hard to keep his kingdom great, was stricken down by a deadly virus that no healer could cure. He departed from the world of the living, leaving his kingdom in the hands of his heartbroken wife and his only son. The queen of Aaren, also known for her kindness had soon followed her loving husband in death, leaving the entire kingdom for their son to rule.  
  
Their son was not so kind. He had grown to be bitter and selfish and extremely cruel. He cared little of the other races that dwelled within his father's kingdom. He disliked humans enough, but he hated the dwarves for their craftsmanship, the hobbits for their carefree ways, but most of all he hated the elves for their beauty. Being human himself, he thought that Human was the superior race. He exiled the other beings from his kingdom and no non-human was welcomed within the borders of the palace.  
  
Kayol, the new King of Aaren had witnessed countless times of his father's generosity. The kind king had never taxed his poor people to death and the towns had prospered with wealth. King Kayol had wanted that wealth, so he had raised the taxes so high that nobody could pay. A tax was placed upon everything in the kingdom, including the very lives of its inhabitants.  
  
If for any reason, a family could not pay the monthly tax, the king would simply take the life of one of the family as payment until the next monthly collection. Usually he took the youngest child away from the parents only to let them wonder what happened to it. Most of the time he'd have the child killed, but sometimes, on rare occasions, he'd keep the child if they were strong and he was short on slaves.  
  
This was the man Legolas Greenleaf, former Prince of Mirkwood stood before.  
  
Kayol was sitting in his throne, awaiting the arrival of his newest slave. His face lit up with sadistic glee as the elf stood before him. "Ah! Your majesty! So wonderful to be within your company!" The king greeted, as if the prince had arrived on official business. "I hope you are finding the accommodations here up to your standards." There was a cruel smirk plastered on his face and Legolas had to restrain himself from making any noise.  
  
The elf bit back the remark sitting upon his tongue and he forced himself to remain silent. His silence didn't seem to please the king.  
  
Kayol frowned. "Do you not understand that you are standing in front of your master? You speak when spoken to!"  
  
This time, the elf couldn't stay quiet. "I have no master." He hissed heatedly, trying to forget the feeling of hopelessness of his situation. He belonged to no one, not just because he had once been a prince, but because he was an elf. Elves were always meant to be free souls - not held captive against their will.  
  
Kayol was silent for a few tense seconds, then he began to chuckle darkly. "We shall see elf-slave. Once seven days have passed, we shall see. Edan, take this /slave/ to the fields and set him to work. The farmers could use an extra hand in collecting all those vexing stones from the soil."  
  
Edan, the leader of the guard, raised a brow in question. "Sire? Those pieces of stone have never been a problem before."  
  
Kayol smirked, "Well, they have become quite bothersome to the farmers and it will make a good lesson for this slave. He is to take one of the wooden wheeled barrows and collect the stones until the barrow is full. Upon coming back to the palace, he will sit in the courtyard, all day and all night until every last of those stones has been milled into a fine dust. For every pebble within the powder, give him five lashings."  
  
Edan looked pleased as he glanced at the slave, the two other army men behind him snickering. "Sire, what tool shall he use to grind up the stones?" He wondered.  
  
"A woodworker's mallet." King Kayol replied, and a servant quickly entered the room, carrying a small hand-sized hammer, the once pointed head dulled to the point of roundness. The servant handed the tool to Legolas, then left the room as wordlessly as she'd come. Legolas looked at the useless tool and glared at it as if it were the bane of his existence.  
  
"Tis a good thing elves are able to go on with few hours of sleep." Kayol grinned, "Now take him away!"  
  
Edan roughly grabbed a second chain that he'd hooked to the loop in the shackle around Legolas' neck. The captain knew how degrading it was to be led around, therefore had to rub it within the prisoner's face. "Come boy, we shall put you to work." He yanked the leash slightly, to get the slave to move. He saw the glare and grinned as the slave could do nothing.  
  
Edan led the elf out of the throne room like a common dog. Not a word was spoken as the small group walked down many elaborately decorated halls. Legolas caught sight of a portrait of the former king and queen, and as he passed he wondered how two kind looking people could end up with the son they'd received. One of the guards behind him roughly shoved him forward, as he slowed his pace at seeing the picture.  
  
Holding in a growl of annoyance, the prince moved forward.  
  
The hallways finally opened up into a beautiful garden and for a single breathless moment, Legolas forgot his capture, could no longer feel the shackles weighing down his body, or sense the guards surrounding him. He was home again.  
  
Trees, tall and short, pine and leaf stood proud, towering over lush grass and dense foliage so thick a human would have needed to cut their way through. Birds sang of their freedom and peaceful lives and two earth browned rabbits played tag, weaving through the brush.  
  
"Eska." He whispered softly.  
  
Edan suddenly decided to remind the slave that he wasn't alone. "Let's go slave, no point in delaying your task." He grinned, jerking the chain in his hand so hard the elf stumbled forward to his knees. Startled out of his peaceful moment, Legolas ushered a sharp cry as he landed.  
  
Mocking laughter flitted to his ears and the proud elven prince clenched his fists in humiliation and resentment as he got to his feet. He glared defiantly at the head warrior until the overly tall man stopped laughing and looked down at the elf in amusement. The amusement faded into a dull grim glance as he regarded the new slave carefully. "I give you this warning once, former prince of the woodland realm." He spoke quietly. "The king is not someone to be taken lightly. He will not halt to gain power any way he can. You alone have witnessed the extent of his cruelty and if you ever forget, remember your home."  
  
Deep blue eyes widened in fury but before the prince could utter a sound Edan held up his hand. "Calm yourself prince. I did not mean to offend you by mentioning your sanctuary, I only meant for you to understand that the king doesn't care. Your life is worthless and he will not hesitate to end it." Edan sighed, "Even I can see the value of an immortal soul."  
  
Legolas forced down his anger, realizing that this human was sincere. "You may speak the truth, but why bother to warn me - a slave - at all? What is the point?" He asked quietly.  
  
Edan smirked, then shrugged, "You should learn your place - /slave/. Defiance and negligence will only bring you pain. You are - as mentioned - immortal. The king however, is not." With that said, Edan pulled on the chain - only with enough force to get Legolas moving again.  
  
Through the garden, the group trekked and they only came to a stop in front of a small wooden storage hut. Edan didn't hesitate as he pulled the wide door open and gave the group a view of the inside. Legolas easily saw the barrow - it was wooden, the edges rough and the handles splintered. It had one wheel on the front that looked loose and it was warped slightly, causing it to curve.  
  
After a moment of silence, Edan looked down his nose at the slave, "Well? We will not terry all day Elf." He growled in slight annoyance. "The faster you get moving, the faster you can be done this task." That got the elf to move; though Edan could easily see that the immortal was not happy to do so.  
  
- - -  
  
Notes:  
  
Eska = 'Home' in Elvish. I'm really sorry about this, I hate it when people use different languages (especially when they don't really know how to use the language to begin with, like me and Elvish ^_^) but it just seemed appropriate at the time.  
  
Shale = I'm not really sure if they knew the names of rocks but I used it nonetheless. 


End file.
